Marko: "We're expecting a title match between Hamilton and Verstappen"

Although Red Bull racing has dominated the Red Bull Ring for two years in a row and Mercedes fell through the basket because of cooling problems at high altitude, Helmut Marko thinks based on the tests in February that Mercedes will appear as the strongest at the start of the season. In conversation with Sport1.de the Red Bull-man says:

"If you look at the tests in Barcelona in February, Mercedes is just a little bit ahead. We follow closely and then - at a small distance - comes Ferrari. We therefore expect a title match between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen".

Mistakes weigh heavily

Marko continues: "This season, you have to make sure you don't make one mistake, and it's not easy. Because of the uncertain situation regarding the rest of the F1 calendar, as a driver you have to take a lot more risks because you can't waste a single championship point".

Looking back on previous seasons Marko blames himself and the team for not being competitive until too late in the season: "There are eight races scheduled and fifteen are being planned. We all don't know how many there will be. So each race will feel like a final you want to win at all costs. We have learned from the past years. We were often only competitive in the middle of the season."